Thursday, September 10, 2015

IN-DEPTH: A report on a now-scorned ally of the Duggar family and their messy business.

Talking Points Memo has published a deep investigative reporting project by Sarah Posner on the ultra-conservative ministry founded by the now-disgraced Bill Gothard, whose offshots include the Institute for Basic Life Principles at the former VA hospital in Little Rock, the place where Josh Duggar was sent for rehabilitation of his wayward ways.

Gothard's sordid past, the dubious practices of his operations and the Little Rock facility's role are not news. But the detail is unparalleled and, at times, disturbing. A Gothard adherent who operates a facility in Arkansas, for example, excuses Josh Duggar's molesting of family and a friend as "natural curiosity" and a "stupid thing" a boy did. The girls aren't bitter, the Gothard defender said. Putting women in menial and subservient roles and sexual harassing them is a frequent theme in the "ministry."

The Duggars promoted Duggar ministries and he profited from their fame on reality TV. Exposes of Gotthard have contributed to a decline in revenues, the article indicates. Fascinating if you have the time.

The Thursday open line and the daily roundup of headlines, much of it catchup on a busy Wednesday afternoon at the legislature.

The state Board of Education announced a special meeting Monday to hear the appeal by the Lee County School District of an Education Department recommended that the district and Lee High School in Marianna be placed on probation for violation of accrediting standards.

A survey reported in USA Today says Pine Bluff led the nation in population decline among the country's 382 metro areas between 2010 and 2017, based on Census data.

Readers also liked…

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that an ethics complaint has been filed saying that the exploratory committee Rep. Warwick Sabin created to prepare for a run for Little Rock mayor was a subterfuge to avoid the city ordinance that doesn't allow campaign fundraising to begin until five months before the November 2018 election.Of course it is.

With a pivotal ruling expected any day now from the Public Service Commission, Kyle Massey at Arkansas Business reports on the increase in Arkansans adding solar generation units on their homes and business.